What did you do with your flock today?

[TropicalBabies]

@Shetland lover or anyone else?
Topaz, 3 y.o. Sapphire Blue. She was lethargic yesterday, staying alone and went to roost early. This morning she was hunched down by the feeder. Her breathing seems slightly labored, and her beak is open to breathe. I gave her coconut oil which she readily ate,, and crop massage. There is a hard object in there about the size of the end of my thumb. She does not seem able to balance or want to walk. Any ideas?
I am away for the next few days, so cannot treat her.
Don't believe she has laid in a couple days, and I think she only does about 1 or 2 x a week. She just drank some water. What! I just saw her catch a fly that was going to land on her food. Ate some chopped up boiled eggs. She is drinking water.

Do you have any antibiotics? If it were me, with the info I see, id start her on antibiotics while I looked for more clues.

 

[PopoMyers]

Do you have any antibiotics? If it were me, with the info I see, id start her on antibiotics while I looked for more clues.

She died a couple hours ago.

 

[TropicalBabies]

She died a couple hours ago.

Im so sorry...

 

[PopoMyers]

Do you have any antibiotics? If it were me, with the info I see, id start her on antibiotics while I looked for more clues.

What antibiotics can I get OTC?

 

[PopoMyers]

I was curious as to what was in her crop, so I did cut it open. Nothing except the cold coconut oil clumps, some residual food, grass, snacks, some liquid and a small, green plum which she had swallowed whole. Nothing blockage wise. Maybe her system just quit. I don't have the heart or stomach to do a necropsy.

 

[Shetland lover]

She died a couple hours ago.

I'm so, so sorry. I've not checked in for a couple of days so completely missed this.
Do you know if she'd ever laid well or if her egg production had dropped off recently?
There are a hundred and one things this could have been. When I see paralysis or partial paralysis in a hen of laying age, the first thing that springs to mind is egg binding. If a shelled egg gets stuck high up in the reproductive tract, it can pinch on the spinal nerve and cause the sort of symptoms you were seeing. An Epsom salt soak can help.
Could be toxicity from eating poisonous plants, heavy metals etc. but I'd have expected her not to want to drink or eat.
More concerning diagnosis could be the dreaded Mareks but also less likely.
If she has never laid much, it could even be Avian Leukosis or another of the tumour causing avian viruses, like Reticuloendotheliosis. These all affect birds of 16wks or older typically although some can be transmitted from mother to chick. They can also be acute - causing sudden illness and death or chronic and cause a slow decline. You wouldn't have been been able to do anything to save her and the main way to diagnose it is via necropsy, unfortunately.

 

[Shetland lover]

What antibiotics can I get OTC?

Don't know if they're still available otc over there but sometimes you can substitute fish antibiotics. You have to be careful doing this as not all are suitable and dosage is an issue but might work in a pinch. Make sure you do your research first.

 

[PopoMyers]

I'm so, so sorry. I've not checked in for a couple of days so completely missed this.
Do you know if she'd ever laid well or if her egg production had dropped off recently?
There are a hundred and one things this could have been. When I see paralysis or partial paralysis in a hen of laying age, the first thing that springs to mind is egg binding. If a shelled egg gets stuck high up in the reproductive tract, it can pinch on the spinal nerve and cause the sort of symptoms you were seeing. An Epsom salt soak can help.
Could be toxicity from eating poisonous plants, heavy metals etc. but I'd have expected her not to want to drink or eat.
More concerning diagnosis could be the dreaded Mareks but also less likely.
If she has never laid much, it could even be Avian Leukosis or another of the tumour causing avian viruses, like Reticuloendotheliosis. These all affect birds of 16wks or older typically although some can be transmitted from mother to chick. They can also be acute - causing sudden illness and death or chronic and cause a slow decline. You wouldn't have been been able to do anything to save her and the main way to diagnose it is via necropsy, unfortunately.

She laid probably once or twice a week. Thank you for this information, which can't really be found elsewhere. I am thankful for your vast knowledge.

 

[PopoMyers]

Don't know if they're still available otc over there but sometimes you can substitute fish antibiotics. You have to be careful doing this as not all are suitable and dosage is an issue but might work in a pinch. Make sure you do your research first.

Many antibiotics are pulled from stores.

 

[ChicksnMore]

What antibiotics can I get OTC?

I've bought antibiotics from here a couple times now. Overseas so no prescription needed.

https://homelabvet.com/product-category/antibiotics-pharmacy/